A medicine graduate of the University of Glasgow Medical School, Smith served as a general practitioner doctor in Larkhall. He served as the Director for Primary Care at NHS Lanarkshire, before being appointed Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Scotland in 2015. On 5 April 2020 he served in the position of CMO on an interim basis, following the resignation of Dr Catherine Calderwood. Smith was confirmed on a permanent basis on 23 December 2020.
Early life and education
Smith attended Uddingston Grammar School and studied medicine at University of Glasgow, graduating in 1994.
Career
General practice
Smith worked as a general practitioner doctor in Larkhall, as well as serving as the Director for Primary Care within NHS Lanarkshire.[1] Smith is an Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Glasgow and Fellow of both the Scottish Patient Safety Programme and Salzburg Global.[1]
Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Scotland
Smith was appointed as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Scotland in 2015, serving with Catherine Calderwood who was appointed Chief Medical Officer.[2]
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland
Following the sudden resignation of Calderwood in April 2020, Smith was requested by the Scottish Government to act as interim Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, taking a lead role in the Scottish Government response to COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.